TMNT - Worlds Change

Forty- Two - Epilogue

I never thought I would understand Love. No more than family love anyway. But that all changed the day I met him. I never thought I would meet someone who would make me feel both weak and strong in an instant. The turtle that changed my world.

Venus POV

I made my way down the corridor past Donatello's lab, where Professor Honeycutt had finished his procedure. It had been 2 weeks since the battle at Shredder's Stronghold. Iris was still recovering from Shredder's attack, but she was sitting up and doing well. Michelangelo, though thoroughly more broken up, was also doing well – however, I was sad to see that the innocence to the fear of losing the one he loved was gone from his eyes.

Athena and Donnie were both doing well, what with some new teachings from the Professor, both were extremely busy and happy to be by each other's side. I smiled in on them as looked at some of the schematics for a new BattleShell, to accommodate all the pairs. They'd been spending more and more time in closed quarters, talking in hushed whispers, rather than their usual tech banter. It was nice to see them notice something other than their work sometimes.

Raph and Bellona would often disappear, to the training room or some other secluded area of the sewer to... honestly, I don't want to know what they do. But they always return smiling, like they've been on an adventure. They stick close to each other, but they also like to spend time in a simple way as well – they do their separate tasks and just learn to share the space quietly.

Atlas and Jennika made their exit early the week before, but with the promise to give a call when they found a place to settle. From the way Atlas talked, he wasn't going too far. Jennika, from what I learned before they left, was originally human. After a mishap that injured her, she ended up receiving a blood transfusion from a turtle clone that transformed her. She was still learning the ins and outs of turtle life, and she seemed... rather fond of Atlas.

I smiled as I made my way into the kitchen to find Leonardo looking over the soup the two of us had started together.

"How does Iris do this? There's still something off." Leo looked over at me as I laughed. Moving over to taste it, I started to gather what we had missed. I paused for a moment.

"Do you think it's really over this time?" I asked softly.

Leo reached over and took the things from my hands, setting them on the counter by the soup.

"Venus. Do you want it to be over?" I was stunned by his words.

"Well, yes. I want to move on and be happy with my family. With you."

He pulled me close to his chest.

"Then choose to let it be over. No more running, not more atoning. You cleared your ledger, a long time ago. The day you walked down that sewer and found me."

"But what if he isn't dead?" I closed my eyes, the fear still caught in the back of my throat. Leo placed a hand on either side of my face, tilting my eyes up to him.

"Shredder said that the Foot will always leave an imprint in our lives. And while he was right about that, there is one thing that removes an imprint like that." He smiled at me. "Time."

"I know that. But what if-"

"If he isn't, we will do what we always do. We will take him down. But, with Karai now taking back over the Foot, we should be in good shape." He turned back to the soup and I huffed.

"I still don't like how close you are with her."

"Says the girl who kept Atlas a secret." He retorted in a playful tone. I laughed at the face he made. It felt good. The peace that he gave me.

"It's hard to believe how long ago it was that we met. It's been nearly two years hasn't it?" I thought back on all that had happened. All the fights.

"Two years since probably the best day of my life." He smiled at me.

As the evening continued on, we all gathered in the living room, sharing food and laughing. We were finally all together, all relatively in one piece, and all finally smiling.

I glanced at Leo by my side. We had made up after everything that happened. But I hadn't been able to tell him quite yet. I'd wait a little longer – keep one more secret for just a little longer. I smiled at the thought of this new world we lived in – a world without Shredder – where I could raise my own family in peace.